Gun case



March 8, 1966 G, H, NORSWORTHY 3,239,114

GUN CASE Filed July 29, 1964 INVENTOR George H. Norsworthy MMM ATTORNEYS United States Patent C) 3,239,114 GUN CASE George H. Norsworthy, Dallas, Tex., asslgnor to The Schoellkopf Company, Dallas, Tex., a corporation of Texas Filed July 29, 1964, Ser. No. 385,957 4 Claims. (Cl. 224-2) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in gun cases.

It has long been a standard practice to utilize gun cases for the protection of rifles and Shotguns during storage and transportation, especially more expensive or valuable guns. Rifles and Shotguns vary, however, in overall length so that it has been necessary for concerns selling the same to stock a wide variety of sizes in order that a snug and properly fitting case could be provided for rifles and Shotguns of various lengths. This necessarily entailed the maintaining of a fairly large stock of gun cases to meet the varying demands.

Gun cases which are adjustable in length have previously been available, but have certain drawbacks such as the tendency of the front sight of the gun to hang in the case, to leak under adverse weather conditions, particularly when the case is in an upright position, and the means of length adjustment has not always been particularly handy.

It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved gun case which is quickly and readily adjustable in length, the length adjustment taking place virtually automatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gun case so arranged as to minimize the likelihood of the front sight of the gun catching on the interior structures of the gun case.

Yet another object of the invention to provide an improved gun case which is vitually weatherproof when the gun case is positioned uprightly, and rain or other moisture is precluded from entering the muzzle end of the gun case.

Other and more particular objects of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of a gun case constructed in accordance with this invention, showing the boot tip of the gun case in a retracted position,

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the boot tip in an extended position,

FIG. 3 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view taken upon the line 3-3 of FIG. l, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical, cross-sectional view taken upon the line #-4 of FIG. 2.

In the drawing, the numeral designates an elongate gun case casing of the usual construction and being of such size and shape as to receive interiorly the stock and at least the major .portion of the barrel of a rifle or shotgun. The casing has the usual carrying handle 11 secured upon its upper edge and a closure means in the form of a zipper 12 extending from the hand-le area around the butt portion of the casing and forwardly along the lower edge of the casing to a point near the open muzzle end 13 of the casing.

A closed end tubular boot tip 14, having a bumper and ice protective cap 15 closing its forward end, is received exteriorly upon the open muzzle end 13 of the casing 10 and is telescoped by the forward open end of the casing. The boot tip 14 is free to Vslip or slide longitudinally, however, upon the forward end of the casing 10.

An elongate elastic band 16 has its forward end suitably secured interiorly of the boot tip 14 against the upper Wall thereof and closely adjacent the end cap 15. The rearward end of the elastic band 16 is secured in a suitable fashion exten'orly of the casing 10 upon the upper wall thereof and adjacent the open muzzle end 13 of the casing. Normally, the elastic band 16 by contracting, as is its inherent function, draws the boot tip 14 rearwardly over the forward portion of the casing 10 so that the cap 15 is adjacent the open muzzle end 13 as shown in FIG. l. With this position of the boot tip, the gun case will accommodate rifles and Shotguns up to a certain length. If longer guns are inserted in the case, however, the muzzle of the gun Iby engagement of the cap 15 will force the boot tip 14 forwardly, stretching or elongating the elastic band 16 andv effectively increasing the over-all longitudinally length of the gun case. Thus, guns of greater lengths may be accommodated by the forward movement of the boot tip 14 until the band 16 has reached its elastic limit. Accordingly, a single gun case may accommodate a considerable Variety of rifles or Shotguns of various types and various lengths. Therefore, a merchant is required only to stock two or three sizes of gun cases in order to make provision for a rie or a shotgun of almost any length.

The boot tip .14 being mounted exteriorly on the forward end of the casing |10 minimizes internal structures which would tend to cause the front sight of a gun to hang within the case, and further, the boot tip 14, being provided with the closed cap 15 and being positioned exteriorly over the open muzzle end of the casing 10 provides very effective weather and water protection so that a gun stood upright in the gun case is protected from the possible entry of rain or snow through the open muzzle end 13.

In order to facilitate the proper positioning of the boot tip 14 upon the casing 10, a pull tab 17 is provided exteriorly on the cap 15 in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the elastic band 16 Thus, the tab is properly located for a direct and almost effortless pull directly upon the band 16, eliminating the likelihood that the boot tip 14 will cant upon the forward end of the casing 10 rendering its movement more difcult.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a simple yet Very durable gun Icase has been developed with provision for adjustment in over-all length to accommodate guns of varying sizes.

The foregoing description of the invention is explan-atory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details fo the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I .claim and desire to Secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A gun case including an elongate casing of a size and shape to receive internally the stock and at least the major portion of the barrel of a rie or shotgun, the casing having an open muzzle end, closure means carried by the casing openable for the introduction of a rifle or shotgun into the interior of the casing, a closed-end tubular boot tip received over the outside of the open muzzle end of the casing and telescoped by the casing, and elastic band means securing the boot tip on the muzzle end of the casing for slida-ble longitudinal adjustment of the boot tip on the casing to accommodate rifles and Shotguns of varying lengths.

2. A gun case as set forth in claim 1 wherein the elastic band is connected :between the interior of the boot tip and the exterior of the casing.

3. A gun case as set forth in claim 1 wherein the elastic band has one end connected to the interior of the boot tip closely adjacent the closed end thereof and its opposite end connected to the exterior of the casing adjacent the open muzzle end thereof.

A4. A gun case as set forth in claim 1 and a pull tab positioned externally on the closed! end of the boot tip 10 in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the elastic band.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 355,721 1/1887 Schernmel. 1,713,129 5/1929 Hope 206-1 2,919,017 12/1959 Weber 206-1 3,164,189 1/1965 OLink 224-21 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GUN CASE INCLUDING AN ELONGATE CASING OF A SIZE AND SHAPE TO RECEIVE INTERNALLY THE STOCK AND AT LEAST THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE BARREL OF A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN, THE CASING HAVING AN OPEN MUZZLE END, CLOSURE MEANS CARRIED BY THE CASING OPENABLE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF A RIFLE OR SHOTGUN INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CASING, A CLOSED-END TUBULAR BOOT TIP RECEIVED OVER THE OUTSIDE OF THE OPEN MUZZLE END OF THE CASING AND TELESCOPED BY THE CASING, AND ELASTIC BAND MEANS SECURING THE BOOT TIP ON THE MUZZLE END OF THE CASING FOR SLIDABLE LONGITUDINAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE BOOT TIP ON THE CASING TO ACCOMMODATE RIFLES AND SHOTGUNS OF VARYING LENGTHS. 